10 year old super shy female making incredible noise at night in apartment building

[sillywoody]

I write this at 1:30am, another sleepless night my cat Ofie woke me up.
She is the shyest scaredy cat, who gets really confident at night and runs up and down my hall. She pounces and jumps.
She weighs 6 lbs but sounds like 30 lbs as she flies and hops up and down. I would normally leave her be but just moved into a new apt and a poor neighbor lives below.
For now I put moving furniture blankets down to dull the sound.
Any ideas?

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. Try to set up scheduled play time with Ofie. The same time every day or evening, or both. Get a wand toy, or several. Play for at least 15 minutes. Try getting that energy out of her in the evening, then feed and hopefully things will quiet down at night.

 

[LTS3]

Try the tips here:

How To Stop My Cat From Waking Me Up At Night (Step-By-Step Plan) - TheCatSite

Discover how to stop your cat from waking you up at night with our comprehensive step-by-step plan. This guide provides practical strategies to align your sleep patterns with your cat's, ensuring peaceful nights for everyone.

thecatsite.com

16 Top Cat Experts Share Tips For Dealing With Timid Cats - TheCatSite

Timid cats can be a challenge, but we've got you covered. Read insights from 16 top cat experts as they share invaluable tips for understanding, caring for, and building trust with your shy feline friend.

thecatsite.com

How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat [A Complete Guide] - TheCatSite

Discover effective strategies to establish healthy boundaries for your cat. From creating safe spaces to managing behavior, learn how to set boundaries for your cat and foster a harmonious living environment.

thecatsite.com

10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat - TheCatSite

Living with a shy cat can be a unique and rewarding experience. Discover practical tips for understanding your timid feline's behavior.

thecatsite.com

You can search Google for suggestions on how to muffle noise from your apartment. Rugs are pretty easy to buy. You probably can't add any soundproofing material to the floor without the landlord's consent.

 

[susanm9006]

Have you talked to your neighbor to find out whether the sound of the cat bothers them? Some cats are just much more active at night and the exercise is really good for them. If it is a problem then look for a thick carpet for the hallway.

 

[neely]

This Article has suggestions for automated interactive cat toys that may help occupy Ofie during the night. You may want to check some of them out: 8 Superb Automated Cat Toys That You’re Going To Love! – TheCatSite Articles

 

[tarasgirl06]

I write this at 1:30am, another sleepless night my cat Ofie woke me up.
She is the shyest scaredy cat, who gets really confident at night and runs up and down my hall. She pounces and jumps.
She weighs 6 lbs but sounds like 30 lbs as she flies and hops up and down. I would normally leave her be but just moved into a new apt and a poor neighbor lives below.
For now I put moving furniture blankets down to dull the sound.
Any ideas?

Thanks for caring about Ofie and about your neighbor! SO many people don't "get" being considerate of others at all.
Other posters' suggestions are excellent, and I can't really add anything except to hope a combination of their suggestions will ensure stimuli for her and restful nights for your neighbor. I kept the old, worn-out carpet here for just this reason (along with comfort) because I can't afford to re-carpet the entire house and we have a hallway that runs the length of the house, which could be called the Indy 500 Elvis, my 13-year-old male, loves to patrol all night long in hot weather, and he gets up quite a head of steam sometimes. In lieu of carpeting, long rugs can be helpful and affordable. They have those carpet runners that go in hallways -- really good at muffling the noise of little cathooves and it only takes one to sound like a whole herd.

As for play sessions, most cats love interactive sessions between you and them with wand-and-lure toys like da Bird or Cat Dancer, widely available. Good luck!

 

[catsknowme]

tarasgirl06 Your suggestions are excellent and I LOVE your sense of humor,. especially "sofa bison"

 

[tarasgirl06]

tarasgirl06 Your suggestions are excellent and I LOVE your sense of humor,. especially "sofa bison"

Thanks! The other posters' suggestions are wonderful and very much what I would recommend, too. And "sofa bison" is just a meme I snagged off icanhascheezburger.com, which if you haven't been, you owe it to yourself to check out. Laugh every day! is something I try to follow.

 

[sillywoody]

Thank you to everyone for your lovely suggestions. I’m approaching this as a combo so trying each tip in unison to increase my chances of a restful sleep for humans and peaceful night for kitty!